The French detective and biometrics researcher Alphonse Bertillon was the father of modern crime scene investigation. Among his major contributions were the mugshot and the crime scene photograph. Before Bertillon pioneered the use of the mugshot criminals were identified by verbal description and artist sketches—which were not always reliable as eyewitness often gave confusing and contradictory descriptions. The mugshot obviously made it easier for police to identify and apprehend criminals and to disseminate posters of the most wanted across the country. Bertillon was the first to recognize the importance of using photography to document a crime scene—the position of the body, the murder weapon, the footprints or personal artifacts left behind, the disarray of the scene. While some at first doubted the relevance of photographing murder victims—considering it ghoulish and highly disrespectful to the deceased—it became quickly apparent how such photographs helped solve innumerable murders. Now, before anyone jumps in with a “Yeah, but they wuz taking photos of crime scenes before then…” Well, yes, they were, but in a disorganized and arbitrary manner—for example, those depicting Jack the Ripper’s victims. These and other early photographs were taken primarily as a useful “aide-memoire”...

Here are some photos of the final sets for the Webster Theatre Guild’s 2010 production of West Side Story. I was the set designer and artistic painter for the show. Lots of hours went into the final product but I am very happy with the results. Many thanks to Mike Johnston and the cast and […]

By Lisa Codianne Fowler | January 2022 Ever think you’ve had a bad day? Then now is the time to see The Play That Goes Wrong at Florida Studio Theatre (FST). This play-within-a-play takes a lot of ingenuity, creativity, and careful direction. Producing this play is much more demanding than a layman would suspect. Happenstances

An exclusive sneak-peak at photographer Michael Tullberg's new book, Dancefloor Thunderstorm: Land of the Free, Home of the Rave.